Rolling cutter

• US 8,413,746 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith International Incorporated (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Smith International Incorporated (SLB)
• Inventors: Shen, Yuelin, Zhang, Youhe, Yong, Zhou, Yu, Jiaqing, Keshavan, Madapusi K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephenson, Daniel P
• Application Number:
  US13/312,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20120073881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 175/432, 175/426, 175/430, 175/434
• US Class Current: 175/432
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/52 with chisel- or button-type inserts
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/5673 having a non planar or non circular cutting face
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/573 characterised by support details, e.g. the substrate construction or the interface between the substrate and the cutting element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49963 Threaded fastener

Abstract

A cutting element for a drill bit that includes an outer support element having at least a bottom portion and a side portion; and an inner rotatable cutting element, a portion of which is disposed in the outer support element, wherein the inner rotatable cutting element includes a substrate and a diamond cutting face having a thickness of at least 0.050 inches disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; and wherein a distance from an upper surface of the diamond cutting face to a bearing surface between the inner rotatable cutting element and the outer support element ranges from 0 to about 0.300 inches is disclosed.

Claims

1. A cutting structure for a cutting tool, comprising:

an outer support element comprising a bottom portion and a side portion;

an inner rotatable cutting element, a portion of which is disposed in the outer support element, wherein the inner rotatable cutting element comprises;

a substrate;

a cutting face disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; and

a groove formed in a side surface of the substrate; and

a retention mechanism, wherein the retention mechanism extends radially inward from the side portion of the outer support element into the groove, and wherein the retention mechanism is integral with the outer support element.

2. The cutting structure of claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism comprises a protrusion formed on the side portion of the outer support element.

3. The cutting structure of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the outer support element is integral with the cutting tool.

4. The cutting structure of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a bearing surface of the outer support element comprises a lubricious material.

5. The cutting structure of claim 1, wherein a plurality of surface alterations are formed in a surface of the inner rotatable cutting element.

17. The cutting structure of claim 1, wherein the outer support element comprises two separate pieces bonded together.

6. A cutting structure for a cutting tool, comprising:

an outer support element comprising a bottom portion and a side portion;

an inner rotatable cutting element, a portion of which is disposed in the outer support element, wherein the inner rotatable cutting element comprises;

a substrate;

a cutting face disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; and

a groove formed in a side surface of the substrate; and

a retention mechanism;

wherein the outer support element comprises a second groove in an inner surface of the side portion of the outer support element substantially matching the groove formed in the side surface of the substrate, and wherein the retention mechanism comprises at least one retention ball disposed within a space defined by the groove formed in a side surface of the substrate and the second groove.

7. A cutting structure for a cutting tool, comprising:

an outer support element; and

an inner rotatable cutting element, a portion of which is disposed in the outer support element;

wherein a sealing element is disposed between the inner rotatable cutting element and the outer support element.

8. The cutting structure of claim 7, wherein the sealing element comprises a metal seal component and an o-ring component.

9. The cutting structure of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of a bearing surface of the outer support element comprises a lubricious material.

10. The cutting structure of claim 7, wherein the outer support element comprises at least a side portion and a bottom portion.

11. A cutting structure for a cutting tool, comprising:

an outer support element comprising at least a bottom portion and a side portion; and

an inner rotatable cutting element, a portion of which is disposed in the outer support element;

wherein at least one ball bearing is disposed within a space between a groove formed in a lower surface of the inner rotatable cutting element and a groove formed in the bottom portion of the outer support element.

12. The cutting structure of claim 11, wherein the outer support element is integral with a cutting tool body.

13. The cutting structure of claim 11, wherein the inner rotatable cutting element comprises a substrate and a diamond cutting face disposed on an upper surface of the substrate.

14. The cutting structure of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of a bearing surface comprises a lubricious material.

15. The cutting structure of claim 11, wherein the inner rotatable cutting element comprises diamond at its upper and lower ends.

16. A cutting structure for a cutting tool, comprising:

an outer support element comprising a side portion;

an inner rotatable cutting element, a portion of which is disposed in the outer support element, wherein the inner rotatable cutting element comprises;

a substrate;

a cutting face disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; and

a groove formed in a side surface of the substrate; and

a retention mechanism, wherein the retention mechanism extends radially inward from the side portion of the outer support element into the groove;

wherein part of the side portion extends at least to a top surface of the cutting face.